Chapter 108: One Eyed Inspector (6)

The Founding Anniversary Festival had begun.

Rows upon rows of spectator seats surrounded the vast training ground.

Crowds from the capital flooded into the area.

Most of the general seating was set up on the first floor.

The VIP seats were arranged on the platform at the midpoint, with luxurious leather chairs.

Soon, those seats began to fill with nobles of the highest rank.

Among them were many famous figures known only from the newspapers.

From Archbishop Thomas, head of the Silver Truth Church—the imperial state religion—

To the Second Empress Margaret and the Captain of the Imperial Knights.

“It’s been a while, Archbishop.”

“Your Majesty the Empress grows more beautiful with each passing day. It’s as if even time itself fears the might of the Empire.”

At the Archbishop’s gentle greeting, Margaret replied gracefully.

It was an extraordinary gathering, filled with titans one might never encounter even once in a lifetime.

“We sincerely thank all of you for visiting the Imperial Academy today.”

The host of the event, a professor from the Imperial Academy, shouted out.

There was a voice amplification spell cast on his lips, making his voice boom even louder.

“The next event is the pride of our festival, and you could say it's the highlight.”

Everyone turned their attention toward the dueling arena at his words.

“It’s a special in-school match, where you’ll see just how much our students have grown.”

Even the Empire’s most powerful figures looked forward to it. The Empress and Archbishop finished their greetings and turned their gazes toward the arena.

The Captain of the Imperial Knights, dressed in a pristine white uniform, solemnly watched over the juniors.

“The opening match features the pride of our intermediate class, the fifth-ranked top student in the school.”

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause at the announcement of such a strong contender for the first round.

Until now, most festival matches began with the lower-ranked students and gradually built up to the highlight.

“Finjay Leopold!!”

Leopold.

If you lived in the capital, you had surely heard of that family name at least once.

It was none other than the household of Empress Margaret herself, with countless relatives tied to the court.

「Waaaaa―――!!」

There had apparently been some fans from the start—screams from the girls echoed throughout.

And among those clapping for his entrance was none other than his aunt, Empress Margaret.

Amid familiar cheers, Finjay stepped onto the dueling arena.

However—

Not everyone was smiling and welcoming him.

“What the hell? Why isn’t there any mana flowing through him?”

Casey Leonil, the one who had personally placed him in the opening match.

She had made sure he had a High Priest and several coaching staff assigned to him.

Yet, as he stepped onto the stage, there wasn’t the slightest trace of any buffs.

“Don’t tell me… he got all prideful just because he’s a guy?”

She was the student council president who never doubted that he would win.

But what she wanted wasn’t just Finjay’s victory—it was Sonia’s crushing defeat.

Only then would the commoners stop following her into the arena, and the atmosphere of focused training would no longer be threatened.

“Ha, let’s see just how well he wins, then.”

Casey brushed aside her bangs with an air of disbelief.

With her arms folded and one leg crossed over the other, she calmly watched his entrance.

But soon enough, she had no choice but to uncross her legs.

“……!”

At the center of the VIP section stood a majestic imperial throne.

And toward that very seat, a towering man arrived at the academy, leading his escort.

“His Majesty the Emperor is entering!”

Even the professor who had been hosting the event in a relaxed and composed tone stammered at the sudden appearance of the Emperor.

There had been no mention of a visit to the academy in the Emperor’s official schedule today.

“Oh my, whatever brought you all the way to the academy?”

“Archbishop Thomas Rhymer greets Your Majesty the Emperor.”

The ruler of the Empire, the sovereign of the continent, stood atop the grand platform of the academy.

If one were to describe his first impression, it was an overwhelming presence that dominated his surroundings.

He stood at about 185 centimeters, but somehow seemed much taller—like someone nearly two meters high.

On top of that, he had platinum-blond hair, and piercing green eyes that shone between the strands, seeming to see through all things.

Everywhere his gaze landed, the crowd froze as though their breath had been stolen.

「My schedule finished earlier than expected, so I had some time. I thought I’d stop by.」

The Emperor’s voice—one most would go their entire lives never hearing.

Trying to catch even a single syllable, the audience held their breath.

「I’ve heard that this year’s academy class is full of exceptional talent.」

Finjay, who had already taken the stage alone, quickly lowered his head in a respectful bow.

「So I thought I’d take this opportunity to see some of them with my own eyes.」

The Emperor—Leonidas Leonil.

Fifty-eight years old. A man nearing the end of his prime, but his gaze was still as fierce as that of someone in their twenties.

「So, I hope all of you will give it your all and let your talents fully blossom.」

With that solemn final remark, the Emperor stepped back from the platform’s railing.

Then, guided by the Empress and Archbishop, he sat on his throne.

Flanking him on either side were the most prominent seats of the VIP section.

Figures such as the Academy Principal and Bishop Paul followed and took their places one after another.

At last, the professor, who had been frozen in nervousness, resumed his role as host.

“As His Majesty the Emperor has said, we of the Academy shall give it our very best……!!”

After his loud declaration—

The audience gave a round of applause to encourage the students who would be competing in what might be the most nerve-wracking match in the festival’s history.

And from within that applause, a girl began to climb the dueling stage steps.

It was her first time ever standing in a competition of this scale.

Even though she had trained so hard, the question of whether she could actually win seemed to make her steps begin to tremble.

“Haaaah……”

Sonia Fern.

In the past, she had picked up a sword simply to show her parents—who had passed on their disability to her—that she didn’t resent them.

But she had always doubted herself.

‘Is this really the right thing?’

Challenging the knight order with a physically disadvantaged body, just to ease her parents’ worries.

To shake off that doubt, she had constantly pushed herself harder.

However, things were different now.

“Sonia.”

“Miss Sonia.”

Ronie and I.

And even Saint Istina, watching nearby with a resolute expression.

“Remember what I taught you? If you just follow it, you’ll land a solid hit.”

“Yeah, we worked hard for this.”

All of them had given her the courage to wield her sword for herself.

Thanks to that, she was able to make her own decision.

Her purpose.

“Yes. I’ll be back.”

Sonia answered with a calm expression.

And then, without hesitation, she climbed the dueling stage steps...

「Waaaaa―――!!」

She stood proudly before hundreds of thirsty spectators awaiting the opening match.

Between her crimson, velvety hair, her scarlet eyes gleamed brightly.

Her entire body trembled in exhilaration as she stood in a grand arena for the first time in her life.

“Facing Finjay of House Leopold is none other than... Sonia Fern!!”

The most renowned noble family in the capital.

And now the opponent was a daughter of the Fern Ducal House.

The crowd burst into cheers, visibly excited by the match-up.

“Oh my, isn’t Sonia Fern the daughter of Bishop Paul?”

“Yes, she is. My daughter.”

The Empress looked on with curiosity at the bishop’s daughter she was seeing for the first time.

And it was understandable—Sonia had avoided even small social gatherings, not wanting to trouble her parents.

And yet, here she was, standing proudly in a place like this.

“Please… do well…”

Her father, Bishop Paul, swallowed hard, wearing a face torn between worry and anticipation.

Then, he cautiously glanced toward the Emperor.

「…….」

Leonidas, ruler of the continent.

He silently watched the two students lined up in the dueling arena, bowing in greeting.

Then, as if signaling the start of the match, he lightly raised his large hand.

“Let it begin. As this is the opening match, I hope you both give it your very best.”

With the Emperor’s cue, the host instructed the two duelists to face one another.

Finjay gave a quiet nod.

Sonia removed the monocle she normally wore, preparing to meet her opponent head-on.

“You sure you’ll be okay without it? I mean, you’re already down to one eye.”

Finjay asked her casually, as if out of sympathy.

Realizing he was pitying her...

“I’ll be fine. As long as I can see the afterimage, it’s enough.”

She answered with an even colder expression.

“There’s no need to see your face, after all.”

Though she usually kept one eye covered, Sonia was a beauty in her own right.

With a radiant smile, she drew her rapier.

“...Well, I guess that makes sense.”

Finjay’s lower eye twitched for a brief moment, clearly displeased.

But he quickly recomposed himself, hardening his expression as he drew his own blade.

After each of them completed their salutes, they stared silently at one another.

And then—

――――――.

The blare of a horn signaled the start of the match, and a suffocating mist of silence blanketed the dueling arena.

“……”

The sound of wind passed through the vast training ground.

Sonia’s crimson hair danced beautifully in the breeze.

From behind the strands, her blind grey eye glared just as fiercely as her remaining scarlet one, both locked deadly onto Finjay.

A fierce gaze that declared she would bring him down, no matter what.

Even Finjay, a gifted royal with a keen sense, realized that something about her was different from usual.

“There really must be something about that man.”

Finjay suddenly recalled the man he had seen a few days ago—

Ronie’s brother from Nord, the one even the Empress had acknowledged: Julius Roger.

“But still, that doesn’t mean she can overcome a difference from birth.”

――――――!!

With those words, the noble-born knight launched forward with lightning speed.

So fast, the dust of the arena split apart like waves beneath his feet.

“Hngh…!!”

In that instant—

Finjay’s slender, deadly rapier thrust directly toward Sonia’s left chest.

“……!!”

Once, she would have flinched in fear at such overwhelming speed.

But not now.

Sonia no longer ran away.

She was a strong woman who now faced her fate head-on.

Compared to the discrimination and pain she had endured, Finjay’s rapier wasn’t frightening at all.

So, with both eyes wide open, she tracked the blade’s path to its very end.

Twisting her body swiftly, she slipped past the thrust.

Just like I had once evaded a textbook-perfect strike during practice.

“……?!”

Finjay’s eyes flashed as he watched Sonia dodge without retreating.

Trying to guard the opening exposed after his thrust, he spun his body and swung his blade.

But that too had come straight out of the textbook.

And Sonia caught the reflexive counterattack perfectly.

Taking full advantage of his spinning movement, she threw a punch straight at him.

A clean strike for the royals who had always disregarded her efforts—those light-blooded nobles who thought so little of her.

Thwack――――――!!

A heavy thud echoed across the arena—an unmistakable punch in the middle of a fencing match.

Sonia’s fist, blazing with fury, slammed square into Finjay’s cheek.

His face contorted instantly, like a crumpled piece of cloth.

Even as the blow landed, he thought to himself:

‘A punch… in a fencing match?’

There was nothing elegant about it.

It didn’t feel like a duel between the Empire’s elite in the slightest.

However—

One thing was certain.

The one-eyed swordswoman, ranked near the bottom of the intermediate class, had landed a clean hit on a royal-born male knight ranked fifth.

The crowd was stunned.

Even the most powerful figures seated in the VIP section.

“A punch in a fencing match…?”

“What in the world is this…?”

Most of the nobles wore dumbfounded expressions.

As if they had spent their entire lives watching only graceful, noble fencing matches.

“……”

Bishop Paul’s face grew visibly serious at the whispers of disapproval around him.

He could not forgive anyone who insulted his daughter.

However—

His expression gradually began to brighten again.

Because…

“Oh my.”

No matter what the nobles muttered, the highest authorities of the Empire were quite pleased.

“A fist wrapped in flames—what an amusing idea.”

“Indeed. She firmly punished his counterattack with a short-range punch instead of a blade.”

The Second Empress of the Empire—who valued results over the flashy elegance of the process.

And Archbishop Thomas—who preferred martial skill over lethal weaponry.

To both of them, Sonia’s retaliation was quite to their liking.

And then—

「I think something similar happened a few years back…」

Even the Emperor, who had once conquered the continent by his own hand.

「Well, not bad. The desperation to win— I like that.」

From afar, I watched the VIP section like a devious court official.

Exactly four years ago—

There had been an incident where the top-ranked intermediate student, now the Emperor’s personal guard, had been beaten down by a commoner cadet...

I had been the main character of that fiasco, the one that was quickly buried under media suppression.

And today—

That very incident would repeat itself.

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